Concrete insert

ABSTRACT

An insert for precast concrete or the like which provides an exposed surface relative to one face of the concrete for attachment of a fastening element through the exposed surface and offering substantially no resistance to the fastening element as it is attached thereto. The insert includes a sealing seam which also imparts structural rigidity to the insert.

Enitefi States Patent 1191 Knohfl [4 Sept. 10, 1974 CONCRETE INSERT g/ ghase 1 1 1 Inventor Friedrich Know, Roselle, 11L 117583150 51930 51222251.::::::::::::::::::::: :11: 525713 2,020,062 11/1935 Jackson 52/364 [73] Asslgnee' g Tool Works Chlcago 2,075,262 3/1937 Boettner 52/710 2,762,398 9/1956 Adam 52/710 [22] Filed: NOV. 28, 1972 3,545,152 12/1970 Knohl 52/367 21 APP] 310,03 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Related LS. Application Data Great Britain 864,971 4/1961 G tB t 52/648 1 [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 62,463, Aug. 10, 1970, tea "am abandcmed' Primary Examiner1-1enry C. Sutherland Assistant Examiner -James L. Ridgill, Jr. [52] 11.8. C1 52/372, 52/576, 52/698, Attorney, Agent, or Firm Roben Bea"; Thomas 52/730 W. Buckman [51] Int. Cl E04b 2/20, E04b 2/48 [58] Field of Search 52/364-372,

52/710, 711, 577, 720, 730732, 707, 648, f ABSTRACT h h 3 7, 52, n Insert 01' precast concrete or t e 11 e WhlC PIO- v1des an exposed surface relative to one face of the f a fastenin element [56] References cued concrete for attachment 0 g through the exposed surface and offermg substantlally UNITED STATES PATENTS no resistance to the fastening element as it is attached McKeever thereto The insert includes a ealing eam also 32 32: imparts structural rigidity to the insert. 1,4031232 2/1922 Stolp 72/51 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP 1 0197.4

INVENTOR.

Fr/dn'ch Kar/ Knoh/ MM w do CONCRETE INSERT This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 62,463, filed Aug. 10, 1970, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTTON 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates generally to inserts for concrete designed to aid in the attachment of construction materials to concrete.

2. Description of the Prior Art In assembling wood, metal and concrete sections to a precast concrete beam, or the like, it has been the practice to drill holes in the concrete beam into which are placed fastener devices which anchor themselves to the concrete beams and at the same time provide means for attachment of wood, metal or concrete to the concrete beam. It is readily apparent that drilling holes in concrete is time consuming and creates a problem of misalignment of the fasteners with the construction material to be ultimately attached to the fasteners. Various types of concrete inserts have been developed which can be placed within the concrete prior to its hardening so as to be captured thereby while permitting access thereto for attaching various types of construction materials to the concrete beam or support. Inserts, such as exemplified by US. Pat. No. 2,410,299 to Murdagh and US. Pat. No. 3,157,966 to Sherbume, generally require either a secondary element such as that of Murdagh, or merely provide a cavity for an additional supporting member, such as an anchor bolt. Furthermore, the prior art inserts are not capable of producing a simple system which allows a fastener to be driven into it without encountering resistance, in the from of concrete. Inserts such as that described in the patent to Murdagh provide a secondary element such as wood behind an exposed surface of a metal insert. This is not generally desirable due to the possibility of deterioration of the wood after exposure to the water inherently present in the wet concrete.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an insert for precast concrete or the like which enables fasteners to be driven therethrough without encountering substantial resistance.

It is another object of the invention to provide an insert for concrete precast beams or the like, which adequately seals off a portion of a channel-shaped section in order that fasteners be driven through an exposed surface and into a void behind the exposed surface.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an insert for concrete precast beams or the like, which is capable of being manufactured from thin gauge sheet steel and yet possesses adequate structural rigidity to support construction materials attached thereto.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a concrete insert which provides resistance to forces tending to pull the insert from the concrete upon fastening of construction materials thereto.

The above and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of a channel-shaped insert having an exposed surface for receiving a fastener therethrough, a pair of side walls integrally connected to the exposed surface and a cover means generally parallel to the exposed surface which is designed in such a manner as to create a concrete void behind the exposed surface. The invention further includes a seam-like interlocking of various wall portions of the insert to simultaneously impart structural rigidity and insure that liquid and other material does not enter the void behind the exposed surface wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a precast concrete beam incorporating one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a modification of the concrete insert shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a second modification of the concrete insert shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a third modification of the concrete insert shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a fourth modification of a concrete insert shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In Fig. 1, an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in a precast concrete beam 32. The insert 10 is shown as a channel-shaped section having an end wall 12, side walls 14 and a cover wall 16. These four walls are configured in such a manner as to produce a void area 20. The cover wall in this preferred embodiment is shown to be constructed from a pair of flap-like portions 17 which interlock with one another at seam l8.

The seam 18 forms an effective seal precluding solid foreign matter from entering the void area 20. This preferred embodiment shows flap portions 17 of the cover wall 16 to be tortuously interlocked by overlapping respective portions 24 and 26 of the cover wall 16.

The seam means 18 also provides an effective seal against liquid entering the void area 20, since any liquid must take the tortuous path described by the overlapping portions 24 and 26 in order to enter the area 20. It is also apparent that the interlocking wall portions 24 and 26 provide the insert with substantial rigidity and effectively preclude relative movement of the cover wall 16 and the end wall 12 as well as relative movement of the side walls 14. The preclusion of these movements becomes important upon the application of the forces inherent in the flowing of the concrete during construction of the concrete beam, as well as forces applied to the insert through the attachment of various other construction materials, as will be discussed later in the specification.

The insert 10, shown embedded in a precast concrete beam 32, is visioned to be constructed from a relatively thin gauge of sheet steel, e.g., 18-25 gauge. The use of such a thin gauge material necessitates the structural rigidity inherent in a seam such as 18, as discussed above.

While the particular utilization of the invention is that of a thin gauge channel-shaped section embedded in a precast concrete beam, it should be apparent that the utilization of an insert as described by this invention, could have a wider range of applicability and that the rigidity and sealing capabilities of such insert would be desirable in other applications.

In the system, shown in FIG. 1, a series of precast concrete beams 32 may be constructedby placing form members in such a manner as to configure a structure having tapered side surfaces 42 and end surface 36. Thus, the insert 10 may be placed longitudinally of the form, with end surface 12 contacting the portion of the form which ultimately will form surface 36 of the concrete beam. In this manner, concrete may be poured or flowed around sides 14 and cover wall 18 while leaving end wall 12 exposed upon the removal of the forms. The seam means 18, will preclude aggregate or water, from the concrete, to enter the area 20. The interlocking wall portions 24 and 26 will likewise insure thestability of theinsert and will preclude appreciablemovement of portions of the insert due to the forces exerted upon it by the flowing concrete.

Upon the setting up of the concrete, the beams 32 then may be covered by gypsum board 38 or the like by readily inserting fasteners 40 through the boards 38 and end wall 12, and subsequently into the void area 20. The only resistance to entry into the composite concrete beam thus being the entry of the fastener through the relatively thin end wall 12.

The concrete insert is effectively precluded from being pulled out by external forces, such as that presented by the hanging of wallboard 38 or the like, by the provision of portions 23 of the wall 14. Portions 22 are shown to flare outwardly from the side wall thus allowing the concrete to be formed above these tapered portions and presenting an effective resistance to removal of the insert from the concrete beam.

FIG. 2 describes an alternate embodiment wherein the insert 10a includes an end wall 12a, side walls 14a and a separate cover wall 16a. The cover wall 16a is connected to the remainder of the insert by interlocking seams 18a. These seams 18a are shown to flare outwardly from the side walls 14a to inherently provide the pullout resistance described similar to portions 22 above. The seams 18a are shown to extend in a plane which extends at an angle to the end all 12a of between zero and ninety degrees. These seams 18a will thus effectively seal the insert as well as provide the insert with rigidity in both horizontal and vertical directions. It will be noted that the seal 18a includes a tortuous interlock similar to that described with regard to seal 18 above.

FIG. 3 describes a second alternate embodiment of the insert 10b which likewise includes a cover wall 16b integrally connected to one of the sides 14b in a flaplike arrangement. The side walls 141) are integrally connected to the end wall means 12b, thus providing a one piece insert, as was provided by the insert 10. The seam 18b is shown to interconnect the extremity of the flap-like cover means 16b to theextrernity of one of the sides 14b in a tortuously interlocking fashion. The seam 18b is shown to extend in a diagonal plane to the end wall 12b to provide structural rigidity in both vertical and horizontal directions, as well as inherently provide the insert with the pullout resistance described above. In addition, the opposite wall 14b includes a flared portion 221) for the same function.

FIG. 4 describes a third alternate embodiment of the invention 10c which is similar to that described in FIG. 3, except the seam 180 is not formed in such a manner as to provide a flared configuration on both sides of the insert, even though the protrusion of this seam into the concrete will inherently provide resistance to pullout. Insert 100 includes a portion 22c flaring outwardly from one of the walls 14c while the other wall 14c terminates in a tortuously interlocking seam 18c with the terminal portion of the flap-like cover wall 16c. The abutment of the terminal wall portions comprising the 4 interlocking seam will also rigidify the insert against horizontal and. vertical movement of various components of the insert relative to one another.

FIG. 5 presents a fourth embodiment of the invention in the form of insert 10d. The insert 10d includes a cover wall 'means 16d, end wall 12d, side walls 14d, with portions 22d of the-side walls flaring outwardly. One of said walls comprises inner and outer walls 28 and 29 which are placed in overlapping, closely juxtaposed positions to one another. The inner wall 28 includes a portion-44 flaring outwardly therefrom to remain in close juxtaposition with the flared portion 22d of the outer wall 29.

The portion of the outer wall 29 nearest the end wall 12d includes a small lip-like portion 30 which overlaps the end wall to complete a tortuous seam-like interlock between the inner and outer walls, the cover wall and the end wall. It is apparent that compression forces will not'appreciably distort the insert due to the abutment of the upper extremity of the flared portion 44 with the inner surface of the juncture of the cover wall 16d and .the outer side wall 29. It is also apparent that tension forces on the end wall 16d will not produce appreciable distortion of the insert due to the overlapping portion 30, which prevents movement of the end tive to the cover wall 16d.

s It is thus apparent that a simple, effective concrete insert for utilization generally in precast concrete, is thus described which will producea void behind an exposed surface wall for allowing a fastener to be driven therein without encountering substantial resistance. The above described insert will also readily withstand normal forces tending to distort or displace wall portions prior to the setting up of the concrete as well as forces encountered in attachment of construction materials to the insert.

While the insert .10 has been shown in the various modifications as being utilized in a precast concrete beam, it is obvious that any suitable and related application of the insert is envisioned'by the invention. Hav-. ing described the embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made by those skilled in the art Within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claams.

I claim:

1. A concrete insert comprising a one piece channelshaped section of relatively thin gauge sheet steel including a continuous substantially uninterrupted end wall, side walls connected to ,the end wall, cover wall means extending between the side walls for producing a concrete void behind the end wall, said cover wall means and said side walls being embedded in concrete with the end wall exposed and adapted to receive a penetrating fastener therethrough without substantial resistance, at least one of said side walls including a portion flaring outwardly and integrally connected to the cover means, one of said side walls consisting of an inner and outer wall in juxtaposed position, one terminal edge of the channel-shaped section forming an upper extremity for said inner wall and which forms abutment means in conjunction with one comer formed between the cover wall and a side wall to prevent appreciable movement of the end wall towards the cover wall as a result of compression forces applied to the end wall, the outer wall including a lip portion which includes the other terminal edge of the channelwall 12d rela- I nected to the cover wall and the inner wall portion is integrally connected to the end wall, the outer wall portion and inner wall portion including complementary sections which flare outwardly to enchance the pull-out resistance of the concrete insert. 

1. A concrete insert comprising a one piece channel-shaped section of relatively thin gauge sheet steel including a continuous substantially uninterrupted end wall, side walls connected to the end wall, cover wall means extending between the side walls for producing a concrete void behind the end wall, said cover wall means and said side walls being embedded in concrete with the end wall exposed and adapted to receive a penetrating fastener therethrough without substantial resistance, at least one of said side walls including a portion flaring outwardly and integrally connected to the cover means, one of said side walls consisting of an inner and outer wall in juxtaposed position, one terminal edge of the channel-shaped section forming an upper extremity for said inner wall and which forms abutment means in conjunction with one corner formed between the cover wall and a side wall to prevent appreciable movement of the end wall towards the cover wall as a result of compression forces applied to the end wall, the outer wall including a lip portion which includes the other terminal edge of the channel-shaped section and which overlaps a portion of the end wall and extends generally parallel to and toward the opposing side wall to prevent appreciable movement of the end wall outwardly of the cover plate.
 2. A one piece concrete insert in accordance with claim 1 wherein the outer wall portion is integrally connected to the cover wall and the inner wall portion is integrally connected to the end wall, the outer wall portion and inner wall portion including complementary sections which flare outwardly to enchance the pull-out resistance of the concrete insert. 